Research
Mixed
Obesity and diabetes are high-risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and progression to respiratory failure.
If you have obesity or diabetes, you are at a significantly higher risk for severe Covid-19. This is due to factors like chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and lung mechanics. Ensure you are up to date on vaccinations and take precautions to avoid infection.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Obesity and diabetes are increasingly worldwide health concerns, and have been regarded as critical risk factors for various infections, post-infection complications and mortality from severe infections.
Why this rating
Based on multiple retrospective studies, case series, and mechanistic reviews, though some specific pathways are postulated.
Source
Obesity and diabetes as high‐risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (<scp>Covid</scp>‐19)
Yue Zhou et al. · Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews · 2020
DOI 10.1002/dmrr.3377
narrative_reviewCited 501×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Obesity increases susceptibility to Covid-19 through mechanisms including chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered lung mechanics, and increased ACE2 expression.Good
- Diabetes increases susceptibility to Covid-19 through mechanisms including aggravated inflammatory storms, immune dysfunction, lung injury, and increased ACE2 expression.Good
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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